Every once in a blue moon, I’ll get a hankering for a Salisbury steak TV dinner. But ugh, the sodium and all the other crap I can’t pronunciate that stares at me from the ingredient listing…I just can’t get passed it. So, when I came across a really great deal on ground beef this week – I thought why not make this retro classic at home?

Seasoned beef patties are browned in a skillet, then mushrooms and onions are sauteed down in the pan drippings to create a rich and delicious brown gravy, that the “steaks” simmer in for a few minutes to finish cooking. I love the flavor that the red wine lends to the sauce – it plays off of the beef and mushroom flavors so well. I used portobello mushrooms since I happened to have some gorgeous ones gifted to me recently (thanks, Donna!), but cremini or even white button mushrooms could be substituted.

I served alongside mashed potatoes and green peas to complete the TV dinner ensemble at home, but homemade macaroni and cheese would also be another classict choice. Everyone really enjoyed it!

This recipe makes about 6 steaks – enough for us to enjoy for dinner , and a couple lunches worth of leftovers for us. Which is a major score, considering that they reheat so darn well. Another one for the recipe box, I’m always happy to find something new and different to make with ground beef!

To make the steaks, combine the ground beef, chopped onion, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, eggs, salt and pepper. Knead until all combined. Form into 6 oval patties and set aside.

Melt butter and oil together in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef patties and cook on both sides, until well browned (they’ll finish cooking in the gravy). Remove from the skillet and pour off any excess grease.

Reduce the heat to medium and add in the sliced onions and mushrooms. Stir and cook until golden brown and somewhat soft, for several minutes. Add in the tomato paste and cook until starting to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Add in the flour and cook for an additional minute. Slowly add the beef stock and wine. Stir and cook to reduce and thicken.

Return the patties to the gravy. Spoon the gravy over the top and let them simmer for about 15 minutes to finish cooking.

I’m always on the lookout for easy recipes that require minimal ingredients. They’re great for those nights on the fly for our family, when what I’ve planned on the menu for that evening hasn’t turned out…for one reason or another. Y’all know what I’m talking about! Dishes like these, where I have all the ingredients I need handy in the pantry, are a lifesaver.

Oddly, I’d never had goulash before. To me, it was very reminiscent of Beefaroni – which reminds me of school lunches and childhood. Ground beef and macaroni are simmered in a rich, lightly spiced tomato sauce until it’s a thick stew. It’s classic lowbrow comfort food, but it’s delicious.

I’d imagine it would be great with all kinds of things thrown in as well… veggies, different proteins, beans, cheese, you name it! Definitely a great base for one of those clean out the fridge nights…

I like the simplicity of the basic version, though. Not to mention that when it’s made with ground sirloin and whole wheat pasta, it’s not terribly bad for you either. Better than the “heart attack in a sack” you might end up with otherwise on those busy nights.

In large saute pan heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes longer, until onion is translucent. Add in garlic and tomato paste, and cook for about 3 minutes until tomato paste is starting to brown. Add in the stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and spices. Stir to combine. Cover, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pasta into the pot and stir to combine, recover, and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes. Check pasta for doneness. Add 1/4 cup additional water and cook for 5 minutes longer, if necessary. If mixture is too thick, add 1/4 cup warm water and stir to combine until it’s the consistency you’d like. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Now that school is back in session, and fall sports and activities are underway, on weeknights it can be hard to find time time to prepare a proper dinner in the kitchen on those evenings when you have a million things going on.

This quick Cajun-inspired pasta dish is just the ticket to get a delicious meal on the table fast, that the whole family will love. Kielbasa is sliced and sauteed with some garlic, onion, and green peppers. Then seasoned with a bit of my homemade Cajun seasoning. A quick pan sauce is made with the addition of tomato sauce and cream, and then it’s all tossed together with cooked pasta to make for one delicious meal. Dinner is done in twenty, you can’t beat it!

I like to serve it with something green on the side to bump up the veggie factor – something like a nice green salad or a side of steamed broccoli are great ideas. Add this to the menu soon for a night when you need something quick, but filling! You won’t be disappointed.

In a large pot, boil water for pasta. Salt water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Add butter to large skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally until nicely browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion and green pepper to the pan and saute until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and Cajun seasoning and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth to skillet, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let liquid reduce by half, about three minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce. Add cream and heat to almost bubbling, then reduce heat to low. Return the kielbasa to the sauce. Let sauce simmer for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta to the pan, as well as the parsley, and freshly grated Parmesan. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

If I had to choose a favorite cuisine, it would be Mexican. It’s something that I really came around to during my first pregnancy, and it definitely stuck with me. Sadly, our only local Mexican restaurant closed it’s doors a few months ago – which means we have to drive 40 minutes north or south to go out…and that’s really sucked this time around as far as pregnancy cravings are concerned.

I already have a fewreally goodenchiladarecipes up my sleeve, but sometimes you just need something super-quick and easy. That’s where these bean and cheese enchiladas come in. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand to make them, they come together quickly, and they’re filling and delicious.

If you’re worried about spice, don’t be – they aren’t spicy. The green chilies are very mild, but add a nice bite of flavor. I wrote the recipe using canned pinto beans, but I’ve been soaking my own beans lately and doing it the “old-fashioned” way. If you’re down with that – you’ll need about 3 cups of dried beans. I’ll cook them with a smoked ham hock, ham base, or some bacon for a little extra flavor. But, rest assured they’re great with canned beans too! Also, take a few minutes and make your own enchilada sauce. It literally takes less than 5 minutes to throw together, and the results are so much more delicious (and economical!) than the stuff from the can. Just saying…

They’re gooey and delicious with the use of flour tortillas and plenty of cheese. We all really loved them, Andrew declaring that they’re his second favorite enchiladas – right behind the beef. Which is really saying something considering that my chicken version was the favorite meal in the house for quite a few years!

Combine shredded cheeses in small bowl and toss to combine. Remove 1 cup of the cheese mixture and set aside for topping enchiladas before baking.

Place olive oil in large skillet and bring to medium high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and combine mash around to coat the beans in the paste, let cook until starting to brown – about 3 minutes more.

Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to boil and reduce temperature to low. Cook uncovered until most of the liquid has reduced. Add the can of green chilies and stir to combine. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt.

To assemble tortillas, place about 1/4 cup bean and 3 Tbsp shredded cheese into each tortilla. Roll up and place in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, filling, and cheese.

Top enchiladas with the enchilada sauce, as well as the reserved cheddar cheese. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, and bake for 15 minutes more until cheese is melted and started to brown.

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Garnish with sour cream and fresh chopped cilantro.